|
There are two basic horse colors:
1. Black
2. Red (called Chestnut or Sorrel)
Black + the Agouti modifying gene= Bay
The agouti (bay gene) is a modifier that only affects black horses and restricts the black to the points (legs, mane, tail).
When you add 1 dilute to the basic colors:
1. Smoky black
2. Palomino
3. Buckskin (Bay + 1 dilute)
When you add 2 dilutes (double dilute) to the basic colors: (see *note* at bottom)
1. Smoky cream
2. Cremello
3. Perlino (Bay + 2 dilutes)
When you add dun factor to the basic colors (one parent must be a dun/red dun/grulla):
1. Grulla (black/silver/gray coloring with dorsal, leg barring, stripes)
2. Red dun (pink/orange coloring with dorsal, leg barring, stripes)
3. Dun (regular tan coloring with dorsal, leg barring, stripes)
When you add 1 dilute + dun factor (one parent must be a dun/red dun/grulla):
1. Dunskin (all of the same characteristics of a dun, only lighter. Sometimes the dilute will go undetected unless tested or the animal produces or sires a dilute or double dilute)
2. Dunalino (all of the same characteristics of a red dun, only lighter & usually has a light or white mane and tail))
3. Smoky dun (sometimes the dilute will go undetected unless tested or until the animal produces or sires a dilute or double dilute)
When you add 2 dilutes (double dilute) + dun factor (one parent must be a dun/red dun/grulla):
1. Perlinoskin (will have most of the same characteristics of a dun, but very light)
2. Duncream (will have most of the same characteristics of a red dun, but very light)
3. Smoky cream dun (will have most of the same characteristics of a grulla, but very light)
Now there are 3 more genes that have been detected that will also augment the color in various ways that are still being studied:
1. The champagne gene
2. The pearl gene
3. The brindle gene
*Note*: double dilute horses can only sire or produce single dilute colored horses when bred to a black, red, or bay colored horse (see above). Depending on the parentage, the outcome could have dun factor (see adding 1 dilute to dun above). When bred to a single dilute colored horse, the double dilute can sire or produce a single dilute (smoky black, palomino, or buckskin), or a double dilute (smoky cream, cremello, or perlino).
|
